The Other World
by Fey Phantom
Summary: COMPLETE 'He mouthed the words written on it, “Gone but not forgotten.” Danny could feel the tears attack at his eyes again but he wouldn’t let them fall. Instead, he unfocused his eyes and let the world fall away around him.' TUE oriented. R&R Please!
1. Part 1

_A/N:_ This is another of my TUE stories (the second and last). I hope you enjoy my version of events once again. I hope it shows that I've thought things through. Anyway, please take the time after reading it to review. I love to hear what people think of my stories and I appreciate constructive criticism. Anyway, enjoy!

_Warning:_ This fic contains spoilers for TUE. If you don't want to be spoiled, don't read.

_Disclaimer_: I don't own Danny Phantom. Butch Hartman does.

-

**The Other World: Part 1  
**By Fey Phantom

It was morning in Amity Park. Casper High's warning bell resonated through the early morning air, damp with humidity. It was the day before the CATs and all of the freshmen were nervous. One more day until they take the test that would determine their futures. Or, at least, most of the freshmen were nervous. Sam Manson and Tucker Foley took their regular seats in Mr. Lancer's English class, perfectly relaxed and ready for the test the following day. They wished they could say the same for their best friend, Danny Fenton. However, Danny had other problems to worry about and had barely managed to keep up with his homework load, let alone study for the CATs.

Danny was half ghost, and as a half ghost, he had to fight other ghosts who escaped from the Ghost Zone on an almost nightly basis. This ate into his study and sleeping time. There were weeks when Danny would get less than three hours of sleep a night and as a young teen, he had already given up any hope of having a social life. The last time he had tried to have one, he'd ended up splitting himself in two, one ghost Danny and one human Danny. The end result had him slightly mental on both sides and he wasn't set to go through that again. And so, Danny struggled through, trying to keep up with everything life would throw at him. Unfortunately, studying for his CATs fell far below everything else and now he was in dire trouble. The practice test he had tried to do ended with him getting a lower mark than the current record. If anything, he just wanted to get higher than that.

If only it were that simple. He reminded himself of his sister, who got the highest test results in the history of the CATs. And there were his parents, expecting him to get As in school as Fentons were meant to. His C average was hardly anything to brag about at home. In fact, he sometimes felt he brought home shame on his family. He knew they loved him no matter what, but he couldn't help but see the disappointment etched in their faces when he brought home his report that deemed him as 'slightly below average' in the eyes of the State.

And he was going to flunk his CATs and make a new low record… He couldn't stand the thought. If only there was a way he could get a higher mark. But how?

As if reading his mind, Tucker said, "Hey cheer up Danny. Don't worry about it. There's nothing you can do. It's not like you can cheat or something." Tucker leaned over from his desk and put his hand on Danny's shoulder. Danny's eyes were wide now. He repeated Tucker's words in his head. Sam seemed to notice and looked worried. Tucker stayed oblivious to everything and kept on talking. "I'm sure Mr. Lancer is just blowing this test way out of proportion. Even if you fail, it's not like none of your other tests will ever mean anything again. Employers aren't just going to take into account this one test." Tucker's words fell short of their target however. Danny was absorbed in his own thoughts now.

"Danny?" Sam asked cautiously, worried that he was thinking what she thought he might be.

Suddenly, Danny seemed to snap from his trance. "Tucker, you're a genius!" Danny exclaimed, attempting to keep his voice lower than the rest of the class' as students continued to file in before the second bell.

"I always told you but you never listened before. Glad you're finally catching on!" Tucker praised himself.

"Danny, no!" Sam said forcefully, fully aware now what was going through her best friend's mind.

"Come on, he'll never know!" Danny whispered to Sam. He won't be able to prove it was me… if I use my ghost powers."

"No! Sam almost yelled. She caught herself and lowered her voice again. "I'm the reason you have those powers and I'm not about to let you use them to cheat!" she hissed.

"Oh, come on. You can't actually say that after you wanted me to haunt a truck depot just to keep people from buying 'environmentally disastrous' transportation."

"Ugh. But what if Mr. Lancer catches you? This test isn't worth it, Danny!" Sam fought back.

"I already told you, he'll have no idea if I go intangible _and_ invisible. He'll probably not even realize the answers are gone until after the test when he gets to correcting them."

"Fine! Do whatever you want! But I'm not bailing you out of it if you get caught."

"Which I won't," Danny pointed out one final time. Sam sat back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest. Danny leaned on his arm, looking forward to the front of the class, thinking quietly to himself.

"Um, did I miss something here?" Tucker spoke up finally, still not understanding what was going on.

---

"What! You're going to cheat?" Tucker yelled out in surprise. Danny, Sam and Tucker were walking to their lockers for lunch period. Most of the students had already made it to the cafeteria so the halls were fairly empty now.

"Shush, Tucker!" Danny tried to calm his friend. If someone heard him yelling out like that, they might get suspicious. Danny, however, did not notice the pair of eyes peering at the trio as they passed the Staff Lounge. Mr. Lancer closed the door carefully and went to a table where he set down his briefcase which carried his copy of the answers to the test in it. He took out his key and unlocked the briefcase. The answers were still there, safe and sound. Of course nobody had gotten to them. They had been with him the entire time. A bunch of fourteen year-olds couldn't get it from him without him noticing. Mr. Lancer laid his head back and shut his eyes. He may as well snooze a little during lunch hour. Starting the following evening, he would be correcting piles upon piles of tests, more than half of which he was sure would get a failing grade.

---

Danny looked around cautiously. Although nobody could see him or touch him, he felt like he was on very dangerous grounds, hypothetically of course since he was floating three feet in the air. Danny looked around the room. It was unfamiliar territory for him. He identified the only person in the room as his teacher, Mr. Lancer, the man he was looking for. 'Good,' he thought. At least there wouldn't be anyone else around who might be suspicious of the ruffle of papers he was bound to cause when he took the test.

Danny flew over to Mr. Lancer. He was fast asleep, his mouth hanging open and a soft snoring sound coming from his throat every time he took a breath. Danny positioned himself carefully overtop of the black briefcase on the table in front of Mr. Lancer. Slowly, he reached down, his hand going right through the top of the briefcase until he reached the envelope which held the test inside it. Danny lifted the answers up and they came back through the solid mass with the rest of his hand. He had done it. In his hands were the answers to his future. Nothing could go wrong now.

---

Mr. Lancer woke up in a cheery mood. He'd had a good nap and was refreshed for the afternoon classes, which was a good thing considering he had another class with the freshmen – astronomy. Grade 9 students were always rowdy. They seemed to have boundless energy and had the toughest time with courses since they had to adapt to the life of a high school student. Thus, they were also the hardest to teach in Mr. Lancer's opinion. But he didn't mind, he enjoyed the challenge. Seeing a student come to Casper High with such little knowledge and following their progress through to the end, that's what he enjoyed about his job.

So, he headed for class, ready to face the young students. However, as he took his seat in front of the class, he noticed one student who seemed very nervous. Danny Fenton was drumming his hands together and looking in all directions but at the front. Mr. Lancer's mind shot back to the test. But he had checked… and the test was fine an hour ago. Still, Danny was worried about something. He knew his students enough to know the basic idea of what their different expressions and body language meant. He decided to wait to find out what it was though. The second bell had rung and the class was calming down, getting in the mood for a long, boring lecture.

---

As the class rushed out when the final bell rang, Mr. Lancer waited for the last student to leave. Then, he carefully placed his briefcase on his lap and opened it with the key. He gasped as he saw that his answers were gone. So, Danny had stolen them after all. He wasn't sure how, but he knew it was Danny. Mr. Lancer decided to go speak to Danny's older sister. Perhaps she could snap some sense back into his head.

---

"Well, it's about time I study for the test tomorrow," Danny said to Sam and Tucker.

"You mean cheat," Sam pointed out.

"I didn't say cheat," Danny replied.

"You didn't say 'not cheat'," Tucker reminded.

"Guys, come on. I would have loved to have spent the last month studying, but I was fighting ghosts. Besides, if you two think this test is so meaningless, why do you even care if I cheat?" Danny asked while he fished the answers from his backpack. "Why shouldn't I open this up and study the answers, huh?" he asked a little more vigorously. Sam and Tucker just looked at each other. "No answer? Well, that's all the answer I need," Danny stated, putting the envelope down. He looked at it. Inside this little yellow package were the answers that could guarantee him an A on the CATs. Sweat rolled down his forehead as his thumb and index finger inched closer to the seal. With one final decision, he ripped it up and took out the first sheet…

---

Sam and Tucker were preparing to leave when Jazz stormed in, not bothering to knock.

"Danny, we need to speak!" she said, narrowing her eyes.

Danny hid the CAT answers below his math book. Who said math wasn't useful? "Jazz, do you mind," he retorted.

"We're gonna go," Sam said slowly, pointing at the door as she and Tucker inched towards it. They didn't particularly want to get between the two siblings with the looks Jazz and Danny were giving each other. With one last shuffle of their feet, they broke into a run and made it out of the room in a few short strides.

"Danny," Jazz started again, "is there something you should tell me? Something about the CATs?" Jazz asked, wanting to give him the chance to come clean.

"What?" Danny said in surprise. Did she know? "No!"

Jazz sighed. "Then I suppose you didn't take the test answers from Mr. Lancer?"

"Of course not!" Danny yelled bitterly. How did she find out? "How in the world do you suppose I stole them? They've been attached to his wrist the entire time!" It was worth a shot to get her off his case. If he could prove that there was no way he stole them short of using ghost powers, he should be in the clear.

"Danny, do you really think I'm that stupid?" Jazz shot back at him.

"What?" He was really confused now.

"I know – " But what she knew Danny never found out. Sam and Tucker came running back in the room, panting heavily.

"Jazz! Come quick! Um – girl problems!" Sam pulled a protesting Jazz from the room.

"What was that about?" Danny asked Tucker.

"Danny, there's a ghost – outside – Skulker," Tucker managed to say between breaths.

"Got it," Danny said, transforming into Danny Phantom. "See ya in a bit, Tuck!" Danny shouted back as he flew through his window and into the night. Sure enough, as soon as he had landed on the pavement something hit him from behind and he went flying forward. In order to recover, he shot up into the sky above the rooftops. He turned and faced Skulker who was grinning back at him maliciously.

"Hello, Pup!" Skulker greeted. "Prepare to adorn my bed!"

"I don't think so, Skulker! I _sooo_ do not have time for this right now! Can't you hunt me at some other time?"

"I do not follow your schedules!"

"I beg to differ," a voice shouted up at them. Danny looked down and saw Tucker with his trusted PDA out. "I think you could use a midnight bite to eat, you look positively famished," Tucker said as he typed instructions into his gizmo.

Skulker looked at the mechanism attached to his robotic arm as it beeped joyfully at him. "I have to go to the Nasty Burger to order five Nasty Meals! What is this – " Skulker's jet-wings activated and whisked him unwillingly away as he shouted 'nonsense' to finish his sentence.

"All right Tucker!" Danny praised. Tucker did have his moments.

---

Danny had 'gone to sleep' the moment he'd gotten home the night before and studied the answers under his bed covers and he got up earlier than the rest of his family in the morning. He was determined to avoid Jazz until after the test. She wouldn't do anything about it after the fact, right? She wouldn't rat out her own brother…hopefully. Still, Danny didn't want her to confront him again so he left really early for school and decided to stay hidden until just before Mr. Lancer opened the classroom doors for the test.

Having the answers memorized, Danny was finished the test before the test time was even half over. He went back over his answers several times, making sure he didn't miss anything and to try and wait until at least someone else was done so as not to draw suspicion to himself, but Mr. Lancer called him on it after he went through his papers for a third time.

"Finished, Mr. Fenton?" Danny's head snapped up and saw Mr. Lancer looking at him with an odd look which Danny couldn't read.

"Y – yes," Danny stated. He got up and brought his paper to the front.

"You've finished it even faster than your sister did," Mr. Lancer stated dryly. He didn't seem very impressed, Danny noticed. After a few moments, Mr. Lancer spoke up again, "You may leave now, Mr. Fenton."

"Oh – um – right!" Danny nodded, heading for the classroom door. Boy, was he ever nervous. He thought for a moment that Mr. Lancer might know what he'd done, that maybe Jazz had told him, but then again, that must be the feeling everyone gets when they cheat for the first time, especially on something as big as the CATs. Danny tried to get the feeling out of his head as he walked back home.

---

"Mom! Dad! I'm home!"

"Oh, hi Sweetie!" Danny's mother came to the front hall. "Is everything all right? Mr. Lancer phoned. It sounded urgent," she added thoughtfully. Danny stopped in his tracks. "Well, he asked us to meet him at the Nasty Burger at five. Don't know why he'd want to meet there after what happened last night…"

"Wait, what happened last night?" Danny asked trying to get his mind off of the uncomfortable squeezing sensation he had in his chest.

"Oh, there was a ghost attack at the Nasty Burger. The ghost nearly blew the whole place up but by the time we got there, he was gone. Your father was really disappointed," she said sadly but smiling at Danny with that knowing look she always had when it came to her husband. Danny on the other hand was remembering Skulker. Obviously he hadn't liked being forced to go to a fast food restaurant but, then again, who did like it? Danny just shrugged it off though. After all, he should be able to study once in a while, shouldn't he? It wasn't his fault Amity Park couldn't stop ghosts on their own. "Well, we'll leave at ten to. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what it is he wants." With that, Maddie left the room. Danny walked slowly up to his room ad collapsed on the bed. What would happen to him if Mr. Lancer knew he cheated? Danny couldn't see how things could get any worse.

---

At 4:50, Danny was sitting nervously in the backseat of the RV next to an angered Jazz as his father drove like crazy as usual. They weren't in any rush, at least Danny wasn't, but his father always drove like a maniac anyway. In two short minutes, they pulled up to the Nasty Burger, and Danny saw what his mother meant. A section of the building was missing, no doubt from a blast of Skulker's weapons. It was lucky for him that nobody was hurt in the attack. If someone had been injured, or worse, it would have been his fault.

Then Danny felt his heart stop. He saw Mr. Lancer standing outside the doors to the restaurant. In his hands were several pieces of paper. They were longer than the normal standard-sized sheets. It looked more like test paper. "Coming Danny?" his father asked.

Danny didn't move but Jazz yanked him out of the car anyway. She didn't say anything to him though. She hadn't spoken since the night before. Although Danny hadn't wanted to talk to her before, he wished she would say something now. Her staying quiet just made him feel guiltier for obviously hurting her so deeply. He knew she believed very strongly in studying to get marks and she hated it when someone would cheat because it not only helped their marks, but it made the test look that much easier and thus made her amazingly high marks seem less amazing.

Jazz stopped pulling him when they came face to face with Mr. Lancer. He looked at Danny with a disappointed expression then turned his focus to Danny's parents. "Mr. and Mrs. Fenton, Daniel, this is the Nasty Burger," he started, pointing out the obvious. "When people fail, this is where they end up; whether they fail because they don't study or because they cheated."

Jack and Maddie both gasped. "Danny, is this true?" Jack asked with authority.

"Did you cheat?" Maddie followed up rephrasing the question.

"N – no, why would I?" Danny lied. He was almost shaking. Fighting ghosts was nothing compared to this. His sister turned her back on him. "It's just one test," he said, remembering the opinions of his friends.

"Well, I have reason to believe that you stole the answers right from under my nose," Mr. Lancer stated.

""Do you have any proof?" Mrs. Fenton asked, hopeful that she could help prove her son innocent of such a crime.

"Not yet, but I did hear him talking about cheating just before the test went missing. Then he was so nervous in my class in the afternoon yesterday, his desk was even shaking. The bottom line is, I know it was him."

"But, I don't understand. Why would you cheat Danny?" Jack turned his attention towards his son.

"I – I – " Danny stammered but he couldn't think of anything to say. He was trapped. There was no way out. The pressure on his stomach tightened. He couldn't breathe.

"Cheaters are not easily excused Daniel," Mr. Lancer spoke up. "Cheaters don't get anywhere in life. And neither do slackers. If you had studied, you wouldn't have needed to cheat. It's as simple as that."

"But it's not!" Danny shouted out. He was angry. After all he'd done to try and help this town, these people, he was going to end up working at the Nasty Burger? They didn't understand. He worked so hard and here they were, berating him for cheating on this one test!

"Get back here!" an angry shout interrupted Danny's thoughts. Everyone turned to see Sam ad Tucker running their way chasing a very familiar ghost.

"I am the Box Ghost!" he shouted. "You can't catch me with that cylindrical device!"

Danny looked around at the reactions of the others. They were all staring at the ghost as if they'd never seen one before. "Danny! Go! Hide!" his sister shouted as she pushed him towards the doors of the Nasty Burger. He didn't know why she was doing it, but he took the opportunity anyway. He ran inside the partially demolished building and transformed. Before he left the restaurant, the Box Ghost flew in to join him. The ghost obviously thought he'd left everyone outside and let his guard down.

"You know," Danny spoke out, gaining the surprised attention of the usually very annoying ghost, "I'm glad you showed up. I needed a scapegoat right about now!" Danny lunged at the Box Ghost and pinned him to a wall. He started punching every which way. With every punch, he thought about the unfairness in his situation. He thought about how he would gladly give up ghost fighting if there were no more ghosts bothering the town. He thought about how normal his life would be if he didn't need to be a hero. And then he thought about how this was his reality and he wished they all just understood.

Danny didn't notice the crowd of people run in. He didn't notice his parents looking around frantically for him, or his sister trying to keep them out, or his friends looking to help him, or his teacher following everyone else. Instead, Danny's one focus was on causing as much harm to the Box Ghost as he could while trying to get his frustration out. The Box Ghost managed to escape his pummeling for a moment however, and floated away from him. "Oh no you don't!" Danny shouted. He aimed an ectoblast at the ghost and fired.

It took only a moment for Danny's life as he knew it to end. The Box Ghost dodged the blast and escaped up through the roof. Danny's ectoblast hit a vat in the corner of the room. Inside, the Nasty Sauce heated and exploded. As a habit of his ghost fighting, Danny turned intangible, but the force of the blast was still enough to send him backwards onto the grass outside. Debris flew around him. As the dust settled a while later, he felt his energy drain and he fell unconscious, his form changing back to human.

---

End of Part 1

---

So I hope you all enjoyed that. Part 2 will be up hopefully soon (depending on whether or not I can finish it tonight)...

.:Fey Phantom:.


	2. Part 2

_A/N_: Hello again! Part 2 of 3 up today! Obviously I didn't finish typing it last week, but it's finally here now. This chapter is a lot more angsty. I love angst and I love writing it. I just hope it turned out okay for the rest of you. Also, thanks to all who reviewed! Wow, I actually got my first C2! Thank you! And the new reply system is awesome and long since due. ;)

Alright, on a little bit of a different note, I'd just like to remind everyone (certain people more than others) that I'm open to suggestions to improve my writing. If you think it was boring, please tell me how I can make it less boring. Give me suggestions on where I can cut things out and where I can add things. Now, if you still want to flame me instead (a flame, for those who don't know, is basically a review along the lines of 'you suck' which has no value to the message whatsoever), please write your flame in English so I can read it and at least understand it and so I don't have to spend several minutes of my time trying to decipher it.Thank you.

Anyway, on with the story.

_Warning_: Still has TUE spoilers but I suppose if you're here, you probably already knew that.

_Disclaimer_: Still don't own it. Danny Phantom is copyright to Butch Hartman and Nickelodeon.

-

**The Other World: Part 2**

By Fey Phantom

"Has he said anything yet?"

"No. He's just continued to stare straight forward. He hasn't eaten anything yet either."

"It's not like this is unexpected. From what I've heard from the police, they say he lost everyone who was close to him."

"But there must be some family member – or friend – surely?"

"I've done some background checks myself. I've only found an Aunt that lives in Spitoon. She says she'll take the boy but she doesn't really have a place suitable for a teenager to grow up."

"But then where will he stay?"

"I don't know. I guess we should really leave the decision up to him. After all, he is fourteen, he does have a good sense of understanding by now. I'm sure he'll figure it out. I just hope he recovers. He'll have to make some pretty big choices soon, whether he's ready or not."

The two doctors were talking to each other outside of the closed door of room 147. Inside it, a young boy with black hair and light blue eyes stared forward at the wall, almost unblinkingly. He was listening to the conversation outside at the same time as feeling lost. It didn't seem real to him anymore. Nothing did. He had woken up in this bed a few hours after the explosion at the Nasty Burger. That was a day, no maybe two ago. He couldn't quite remember. He hadn't slept since then though.

All around him he could hear people rushing about, a woman's voice would come on the PA system every now and then calling for certain doctors, machinery was wheeled by his room heading from room to room. Some nurses and the doctor assigned to him had come by several times already. They tried to talk to him but would eventually give up and talk to each other about him and his symptoms in third person. He didn't care though; they barely registered in his own mind anyway.

There was one thing that kept nagging at him but he refused to let it into his mind. If he did, he would break apart and never recover. But what was it that he wouldn't let himself think of? It had to do with the explosion… NO! He mustn't let it seep its way in!

As hard as he tried though, the loneliness of the room gave him little to distract his mind with and all too suddenly he found himself thinking what he'd tried to shut out.

He was alone. Everyone he'd known and cared about was gone. Their lives were erased in the explosion and he hadn't saved them, only himself. But that wasn't all; he was the one who caused the explosion in the first place. If he hadn't let his anger get the better of him, they would all still be alive. All because of some stupid test.

It was his fault… Gone, all of them…Alone now… His fault… Nobody left… His fault… Parents dead… His fault… Sister dead… His fault… Friends dead… His fault… His fault…

Danny inhaled deeply as if he had suddenly been able to breathe after being suffocated. He started to hyperventilate. His fingers flexed and dug his nails into his palms. His jaw clamped shut despite his heavy breathing. He shut his eyes tightly too, images of the Nasty Burger swimming up behind his eyelids. His back curled around and he leaned towards his lap, his head hung low. He started gasping for breath. The sounds of his struggle reached the ears of the doctors outside. They rushed in and saw him in his pain. Although he looked to be hurt they couldn't help by sigh with relief. They were worried that he'd stay unresponsive for some time. Luckily, it seemed he finally came to.

"Danny, it's okay," the head doctor said as he stepped forward and placed his hand on Danny's shoulder. Danny flinched and his eyes shot open. He looked up at the doctor with wide, terrified eyes, his pupils dilated. He looked so lost. "Danny, do you know where you are?" the doctor tried. He needed to get Danny thinking about something else and small talk was the best thing he could think of.

For a moment, it looked like Danny hadn't heard the question, but then slowly and surely, Danny nodded. "I'm at the hospital," Danny's voice cracked sounding very weak.

"Yes, that's right," the doctor said sweetly. "And I'm your doctor, Dr. Newman. Do you know what time it is?" Dr. Newman continued. At this, Danny answered a lot more quickly with a shake of his head. "Well, it's 7:15 in the morning. Would you like something to eat? You haven't eaten for a couple days now." Danny nodded. "I'll get the nurse to bring some pancakes and fruit for you. Do you like pancakes Danny?" Nod. "Okay, I'll get the nurse."

When the doctor returned, he didn't say anything. He sat down next to Danny on the bed trying to act as fatherly as he could to the child. The nurse came a few minutes later with a tray of pancakes, maple syrup, a bowl of fresh fruit and a glass of orange juice. Danny started eating it hungrily. Dr. Newman waited for Danny to finish the first pancake before he spoke again.

"Danny, do you know what happened?" He already knew Danny knew about the deaths of his family members and close friends, but he had to bring up the subject and he had to ensure that Danny understood.

Danny had stopped eating, a piece of cantaloupe on his spoon halfway between the bowl and his mouth. He then put it down and hung his head. "Yes," he said quietly, trying not to think about it. He didn't want to breakdown, not here.

"Then I have to ask you a few questions Danny," Dr. Newman said. "We've been in contact with your Aunt but I was wondering if there was anyone _you_ wanted to live with? If there's a friend's parent who might take you in?" Dr. Newman asked.

"I don't have any more friends," Danny replied sadly.

"That's not true. There was a young lady here yesterday who wanted to see you. Unfortunately, you didn't seem in the mood for visitors. She said she'd come back later today. A young Ms Gray?"

"What? She came here to see me?"

"Yes," Dr. Newman said.

"I can't stay with her," Danny said coolly.

The doctor looked at him questioningly. Why did he seem so bitter towards her? She seemed to really care about him and yet he didn't want anything to do with her, despite the fact that he had nobody else. "And why can't you stay with her? She's your own age, in your classes, and she cares about you. She seems like a wonderful friend to me."

"Yeah, if I want to end up dead," Danny muttered cynically.

"What was that?" Dr. Newman asked.

"Never mind."

"Then where do you want to stay?" Dr. Newman asked, trying to get the prior mood back in the room.

Danny searched his mind. He really had no where to go. No one would want him. No one would understand him. But, there _was_ someone whounderstood him; someone who wanted to adopt him as a son before any of this even happened… "Plasmius," he whispered.

"I'm sorry, what?" Dr. Newman asked.

But Danny was doing some fast thinking. Did he even want to live with him? After everything he'd done, is that where he wanted to go? But he was the only person Danny could still call 'family'. He had a bond with the man, whether he wanted to admit it or not. Perhaps, he could help him move on from here…

"I want to live with Vlad Masters," Danny said in a monotonous tone.

"Vlad Masters? Where does he live?" Dr. Newman asked. He was sure he'd heard the name before but he couldn't place it.

"He lives in Wisconsin," Danny answered.

"Alright then, I'll look him up for you and see if it can be arranged." Dr. Newman was glad that the boy seemed to have decided on someone, whether or not this man would take him was another question, but the doctor would cross that bridge when he came to it. "So, Vlad Masters, is he a friend of yours?"

"He – he's a lot like me. He knows…" Danny paused, thinking. He plastered a stoic look on his face. "He knew my mom and dad. He was their friend in college."

"Okay, I'll go talk to him. Meanwhile," Dr. Newman got up from the bed, "you get some rest. You haven't slept for a couple of days. It's not healthy. So, lie back and I'll see you in several hours." Dr. Newman smiled at Danny and turned and left. He was happy with the way that went. Danny was still very depressed, but it was something Dr. Newman expected. At least Danny was able to hold togetherso thatDr. Newmancould get his answers. So, a Vlad Masters was the one he needed to call. Hopefully this one would be a good home for a fourteen year-old boy.

---

"Hello, may I speak to Mr. Vlad Masters?" Dr. Newman asked.

"This is he," a soft voice replied on the other end. It seemed Danny wasn't the only one mourning the recent deaths.

"My name is Dr. Newman. I work at the Amity Park General Hospital. I'm phoning concerning Danny Fenton," Dr. Newman said his lines as he always did, despite having an emotional attachment to this case in particular. He really cared for Danny and he wanted to see Danny recover from this terrible ordeal.

"Daniel? What's wrong? Have there been complications?" He sounded concerned. Dr. Newman didn't understand why he'd think there'd be complications, but he put Mr. Masters' mind at ease nonetheless.

"No, no, everything's fine, or as fine as it can be," he added sadly. "I'm phoning in regards to Danny's future, where he'll go when he's released from the hospital."

"And why are you phoning me about this?"

"Well, Danny has requested to live with you so I would like to know if you may consider adopting him?" Silence rang in the doctor's ear. "Mr. Masters?"

"Of – of course I will!" the man on the other end sobbed out. It sounded like he was crying anew.

"Good," was all Dr. Newman could say. He wasn't sure whether the tears the man was crying now was a good or bad thing, but he had a feeling that it would be all right. This man seemed to really care about the Fenton family and obviously Danny trusted him. "When can you come here to pick him up?"

"I'll be there for the funeral tomorrow," Mr. Masters admitted while trying to calm down.

"Okay, I'll have his official guardian now, his aunt, sign the papers tomorrow then."

"Goodbye then. Until – tomorrow," Mr. Masters sobbed one last time before hanging up. Dr. Newman was sure he would be crying fully now that no one would hear him.

"Until then," he said to the receiver and hung up.

---

It was a grey day. The clouds seemed indecisive on whether to rain or not. A heavy breeze blew in between tombstones. The long grass whipped every which way in the wind. It was very cool but a fairly large group of people walked on along the path from a row of cars in the distance. Six caskets were carried at the head of the procession. Just behind them, Danny walked slowly, letting his feet drag on the ground and his head hang onto his chest. His black hair covered his face so that no one could see his pained expression. He still hadn't cried, not one tear. He didn't want to. To cry would be admitting that they were gone but he didn't want to believe it. He wanted his sister to run up to him and throw her arms around him. He wanted his friends to tell him off for acting so melancholy. He wanted his parents to give him chores to do. He didn't want to believe that he'd never hear their voices again.

Danny had wanted to say something in the reception that morning. He had wanted to stand up in front of everyone and tell them about the people they would be burying today. He wanted to tell them how close he was to his two best friends – that they knew more about him than anyone else. He wanted to say that his sister was the smartest person he knew and that she was destined to change the world before _it_ happened. He wanted to tell them all that his parents were right about ghosts and that their inventions worked very well. He wanted to say how proud he was of them for continuing to work in an area where they were shunned by many people. He wanted to say how much he loved them all; that even Mr. Lancer had meant something to him. But instead of saying any of it, Danny sat there at the front, unable to move, unable to speak, fearing that he would cry.

The last time he had looked upon their bruised and cut faces before their caskets were closed, Danny had looked at them with dead eyes, hardly seeing his friends and family, but just charred bodies of some strangers he'd never met. It was his mind's protection against believing that they were truly gone.

As Danny walked along in the group, next to him, an older man, the same age his parents had been, walked just as slowly and downhearted as Danny. Vlad Masters wasn't crying now, but facing forward bravely. He had already accepted the passing away of the love of his life, Maddie, but that didn't make the pain seem any less. However, even her death wouldn't make him lose his dignity in public. He looked over at the young boy at his side and put a hand on Danny's shoulder. Danny didn't react at all to the touch.

Over an hour later, the caskets were in the ground, each lain side by side. They would be buried later by the workers from the funeral home. Most people turned and left, heading back up the long path in between the tombstones toward their cars on the side of the road. Danny and Vlad, however, stayed. They hadn't said a word to each other the entire day. When they had met at the funeral home, they had simply looked at each other with similar expressions in their faces. They were both upset and no words either of them could say would make the other feel better.

Valerie and her father stayed behind in the graveyard as well. Valerie had tried to talk to Danny on several occasions already. She had visited him at the hospital twice and had attempted to console him again during the reception. Never did Danny answer her when she spoke.

The last people who stayed in the graveyard were a driver hired by Vlad, Maddie's sister and Dr. Newman. After a half hour of waiting, Dr. Newman approached Vlad and told him it was time they went to sign the papers so that Danny could go home with Vlad. Vlad nodded and turned to Danny, kneeling down beside the boy who was crouched on the ground by his mother's grave. "Daniel, I've instructed Todd here to take you to your house so that you can pack up what ever you may want to keep," Vlad said softly, indicating the driver who had come with him. "I'll be going back to Wisconsin tonight to prepare your room and the castle for you. Will you be all right?" he asked gently. Danny barely nodded but Vlad saw it and tried his best at a compassionate smile before he turned and left with the doctor and the woman.

After watching them walk away down the path for a minute, Valerie went over to Danny and said quietly, "Do you want me to come with you?" Danny ignored her. He stood up with his eyes shut tight and turned away from her, walking up to the driver, Todd, and giving him a look which clearly said, 'let's go.' All Valerie could do was watch Danny walk away as well.

"Well, sweetie, we should go home too," Damon said to his daughter, but Valerie was still watching Danny.

"Daddy, I'm gonna take a walk, okay?" she asked, her eyes never leaving Danny's back.

Damon sighed. He would've preferred driving her home but he also knew she could take care of herself. Besides, after having a breakdown about losing her friends over their recent money issues, Valerie had come to her father and told him that she was finally making new friends. Now, two of those friends were gone. He couldn't blame her for wanting to be alone. "Yes, go on," he sighed and she too went off down the path leaving Damon alone near the six fresh graves.

Valerie didn't wander about however. She had already decided where she wanted to go and half an hour later, she would arrive on the doorstep…

---

Danny shakily took a hold of the doorknob. This was a place he never wanted to come back to. He didn't even want to enter it now, but he had to. He had to get his belongings and anything else that would strike him as important. He had to get some of the ghost hunting equipment as well. But how would he ever be able to face another ghost again?

Danny pushed the door open and took one step at a time, his body threatening to collapse on him. He continued to move forward by will alone. He was going to head upstairs when he decided to head to the basement stairs instead. He opened the door and went down.

He looked around the room. Everything was in the messy disarray his father left it in. He walked further into the lab and noticed something glimmer at him from a bookshelf. He went over and picked it up. It was a recent picture in a frame of his family and friends standing outside of Fenton Works. Everyone looked so happy. Even he had been smiling…

All too suddenly Danny felt pain in his chest and he bent over, falling to the floor. It was the same pain he had felt back at the hospital, but this time it was a hundred times worse. He felt the tears threaten his eyes and he screamed out in his agony. Every emotion he had been suppressing came back ten fold. As he screamed he pounded the floor with his fists and released a power within himself that he hadn't used since the explosion. Danny Phantom cried on the floor of the lab where he was created.

With a shaking hand, Danny picked up the picture he had dropped. He brought it close to him, holding it to his chest, and cried over it, rocking back and forth. If only he hadn't been so stupid, so full of rage, no one would have died. Behind him, he heard footsteps and a voice call out to him…

---

Valerie looked up at the house. She had been here before but it had never looked as gloomy as it did now. The walls seemed a touch greyer than usual and the windows seemed barren. Valerie shivered as she went up to the door and pushed it open. "Danny?" she called but there was no answer. She walked in carefully, listening for any sign of Danny. Down the corridor, she noticed the basement door ajar. Was he in the lab?

She walked over to the door and yelled down. "Danny? Are you there?" No answer. She took a few steps down and was prepared to call a third time when she heard whimpers coming from below. She hurried down the steps and into the lab where she saw a figure crouched over as if it was just punched in the stomach. "Danny?" she asked nervously. The person was shaking and she thought she saw something in its hands. "Danny, is that you?" she asked again. She was getting closer and closer.

Abruptly, the person turned and looked at her with tear stained eyes, his white hair sticking to the sides of his wet cheeks. "I killed them," he said quietly. After a moment he yelled out, "I killed them!" His voice reverberated around the large industrial basement. "I didn't mean to, it just – it just happened." His eyes opened wide as if he was pleading with her to believe him; as if he was pleading with her to forgive him.

"What are you – " but Valerie stopped short, understanding apparent on her face. "The Fentons?" she asked looking at the Ghost Boy on the floor in front of her. His eyes stayed wide, telling her she was right. But there was more. "Sam? Tucker? Mr. Lancer?" She couldn't believe it. He did it? She stood still in a stupor. It couldn't be… Something inside her exploded. "After everything you did to me, it wasn't enough, was it? I finally find some new friends – someone I could actually like – and you just had to steal _his_ life away too! Didn't you? Why? Why did you do it?" she demanded.

"I didn't mean t – " but she cut him off.

"I don't want to hear it. You did do it, didn't you? Isn't that the fact here? You had to ruin Danny's life? How _DARE_ you come in here after that? I will get you for this, I promise!" Valerie grabbed her knapsack from her back and pulled out an ectogun. She pointed it at Danny Phantom in front of her. He looked at her with a dejected expression before floating up into the air and fazing through the ceiling. "You can't escape from me!" Valerie shouted, running up the stairs. She reached the landing when a sudden thought occurred to her. She still hadn't seen Danny and he was the one who needed her help most right now. Resolutely, she spoke out loud to herself, "I _will_ make you pay for this. I'll get my revenge on you _and_ revenge for Danny as well. You mark my words Phantom, you'll fall at my hand." Then she thought to herself, 'but first I need to see Danny.'

Valerie walked up to Danny's room and knocked quietly on the door. She heard a murmur come from inside and opened it. On his bed, Danny was sitting quietly. Shoulders slumped and eyes staring at a photograph in his hands. She noticed he hadn't done any packing yet. She walked up to him and sat down on the bed next to him. She lowered her head to try and see his face behind his hair. He had red streaks down his cheeks. He wasn't crying any longer but he had been recently. "Danny," she said, putting her hand on his shoulder. He looked at her. "It will be all right. You'll see, someday, it will be okay again. Just promise me you'll remember that I'll always be here for you? If you ever need to talk, just phone, okay?"

Danny looked at her for a moment, then nodded. "Thank you, Valerie," he said, his voice cracking.

She smiled at him. "It's you I should be thanking," she said. Then she hugged him. Danny put his arms around her, too, and hugged back. He leaned his head on her shoulder and cried again, this time having someone to comfort him. But all the while, words she said to him earlier echoed in his ears. 'I don't want to hear it. You did it, didn't you? Isn't that the fact here?' And he still had no reply for her.

---

Several hours later, Danny was outside again. Todd was loading his bags in the car. They would be leaving tonight and arriving the next afternoon. Valerie was still by Danny's side. "You'll be okay for the car ride, right?" she asked tentatively.

Danny nodded then looked back at the house. It was the house he'd grown up in, the only home he'd ever known, but now it was time for him to leave it and never come back. He never wanted to step foot in it again. It brought too many unwanted memories back – memories of when he was happy and carefree with his family and friends. Now, he wanted to just forget about it all. It was too painful. It was tearing him up inside. It took everything he had to try and suppress the memories. Now he was moving to Vlad's and he was hoping to find some way to forget it all, to move on. And yet, as he entered the car and looked back at Valerie and his house one last time, he couldn't let go of the picture he held in his hand – a reminder of what he once had and all he'd lost.

---

End of Part 2

---

Okay, finished another part for you guys. I know Vlad seemed a little OOC in this chapter, but he'll be back on track next chapter (hopefully). I guess it's just cause we don't see him sad all too much, but the idea behind him bursting into tears after hearing Danny wanted him as a father was from Maternal Instinct where he sheds a tear when Danny asks him to give him a hug (new Dad :D) Anyway, take that reaction, add in his emotional heartbreak from Maddie's death, and that's what I came up with. Sorry if it made him seem like a cry baby… he won't cry anymore… much ;) You know, it has occurred to me that I tend to make Vlad cry quite a bit in my fics so far… I guess it's just that TUE showed a side of him I don't think we'll ever see in the show again. He really did change from the death of Maddie and then Danny's death and 'rebirth'… in a way…

Anyway, the third and last part of this story won't be put up until after crunch time. All of my major assignments are due on the 1st/2nd of December and I've got to get a move on… So, yeah, expect the update after that, possibly during exams some time.

And as always, please tell me what you think. If you hated it, please tell me _why_ and _give suggestions_ on how to improve it. Thank you in advance.

.:Fey Phantom:.


	3. Part 3

**_A/N_**: Yay! First chapter story I've completed since 2003! (Pathetic, isn't it?)

I changed the genre from drama to tragedy because, in retrospect, that's exactly what this is… a tragedy. And it's even sadder (in my opinion) because Danny's mind from this story is still out there, in Dan Phantom. He still existed through all these events (or at least whatever truly happened according to Butch and the others). Even if the Danny we know had a happy ending in TUE, there's still one who didn't… one who suffers still… whether or not he feels it.

An extra note for this chapter so that things don't get confusing: Jack invented the Ghost _Gloves_ in Splitting Images. The Ghost _Gauntlets_ are presumably a Vlad invention.

Anyway, now for a few of the basics:

**_Disclaimer_**: I don't own Danny Phantom or the amazing episode The Ultimate Enemy, Butch Hartman and Nickelodeon have rights over it.

**_Warning_**: Contains TUE spoilers… though if you've gotten so far in the story, I think you've realized this… Also, a box of tissues is recommended for those who get teary-eyed easily. 'Tis a sad, sad chapter, at least in my opinion.

**_MAJOR CHAPTER WARNING: _**Okay, I think I might've crossed the line with this one. If you think a K+ rating is too low for what I've written, please tell me and I'll change it. There are moments of creepiness, violence and murder in this one, along with some very dark thoughts... For a little insight on the chapter, it contains the moment where Danny becomes Dark Danny and does the unthinkable to his human self…

**_Dedication_**: After recent events, I decided to dedicate this chapter to Irene – GLE, you know who she is – Never stop believing that life is worth living, no matter how much pain you may be in.

Now, just before I finish this terribly long author's note, I'd like to thank all my reviewers immensely! You've been awesome to me and I hope I didn't make you wait too long! For the long wait, I give you my longest chapter written to date in any of my stories: 14 full pages on Word. Wahoo! Now, without further ado, enjoy!

-

**The Other World: Part 3**

By Fey Phantom

-

Danny leaned his head against the window, feeling relieved at the coolness that washed over his forehead. Not only did this calm him down a bit, but it gave him a reason to be facing elsewhere than at the driver. He didn't want to talk and was afraid that Todd might try to if he didn't look at least somewhat preoccupied. Danny closed his eyes halfway. He felt the emotions receding somewhat, his body was becoming numb again. Then, with a sudden realization, Danny knew what road they were on and where they were headed. Before he could voice his concern though, he saw it. There was yellow tape around the area with the message "Do Not Cross" printed on its length, repeated over and over. The building had a few sections of the walls still standing but for the most part, it was clear to view the inside. Cement and brick and glass shards littered the ground. The NB sign was still in one piece but had fallen to the ground. Near it was something new. As they passed by the area, Danny took a gulp and then spoke to the driver, "Stop please."

Todd did as he was asked and as soon as the car had rolled to a stop, Danny opened the door and ran out. He ducked beneath the yellow tape and jumped over the remnants of the Nasty Burger in his attempt to get to his goal quicker. In only a few second, he slid to a stop in front of it and then fell to his knees. He looked up at it; it was high and glowed in the fading light of the day. He mouthed the words written on it, "Gone but not forgotten." Danny could feel the tears attack at his eyes again but he wouldn't let them fall. Instead, he unfocused his eyes and let the world fall away around him.

He sat alone, not thinking, not seeing, not moving, his head slightly bowed and his arms to his sides. His breathing was calm until a hand reached out from the darkness around him and touched his shoulder and he gasped.

"Come on," Todd said, "we should go." Danny nodded and got up, headed back toward the car. And so, they left Amity Park and the site where the Nasty Burger once stood. The statues that were erected there, paid for by the city, both stood proud and tall. One was an image of an overweight teacher. It held the caption "Gone". The other had a much more loving look to it. Images of a mother, father, daughter, and two other teens smiled to whoever stood in front of the statue. Below it, it read, "Gone but not forgotten."

---

A few hours after they left Amity Park, Danny had fallen asleep. He looked peaceful for once, thought Todd as he glanced over at the boy in the passenger's seat. But he couldn't see the struggle within the boy's mind. Vlad had told Todd to swing the boy by the Nasty Burger so that Danny could see how much his family and friends meant for Amity Park and Vlad hoped Danny would be happier because of it. They didn't know the whole story though. They didn't know that whenever Danny closed his eyes, he saw the Box Ghost dodge his attack and the vat of Nasty Sauce explode. Todd didn't know that as Danny dreamed, the last ten minutes of his family's life played over and over in his mind like a broken record repeating one section of the song in an obscure, scratched and skipping way. He dreamed of his sister's annoyance of him, of Sam's and Tucker's chastising him, of his parent's disappointment in him. And he cried no more.

He was at the Nasty Burger. The world around Danny felt crooked, like if he jumped or even lifted his foot he might fall to the side. Danny looked around and saw that the Nasty Burger was still intact. Nothing had happened. He was alright. The CAT hadn't taken place yet. His family and friends were still alive! But then, as soon as the thought had struck him, he felt a warmth rush over him. He blinked and suddenly he was surrounded by fire. The blaze licked the walls and rushed around, trying to find an opening into the fresh air outside for fuel. Bits of debris from the burning ceiling started to fall. Footsteps sounded from behind Danny. He turned to see who it was and gasped.

Sam walked forward, hands on hips. She wore a very hurt look. "I died because you had to cheat on a stupid test. I told you not to," she spat at him.

"Sam – I – I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt!" Danny tried to explain.

"Then why did you hurt us?" Tucker growled from his right. Danny turned and saw his other best friend with the same look as the first. "We trusted you with our lives and in the end you killed us."

"No! But I didn't – " Danny tried to argue but was cut off.

"I told you that cheating would get you nowhere! Why did you have to cheat? I could've helped you study!" Jazz whined. She was close to tears.

"I didn't have time!" Danny argued back. "I was the only one who could protect this city from all those ghosts! I had to fight when I'd rather have been studying!"

"Did somebody say ghost?" Jack piped up. The other apparitions looked at him in annoyance. "Sorry," Jack apologized.

"It's okay dear," Maddie sympathized. "What about your father and me? We could've taken care of the ghosts if you had only let us into your life more," Maddie said to Danny.

"You wouldn't understand!" Danny tried.

"No! YOU don't understand!" shouted a very commanding voice. Danny looked around and saw the figure of a young woman walking towards him. "How can you understand human problems anyway?" she yelled. Danny was about to ask what she meant when he looked down and saw that he was in Phantom mode. He looked back up at Valerie advancing toward him. "You killed these people and all for what? To get at me?"

"No, that's not it!" Danny shouted back. "It was an accident! I didn't mean to do it!" he screamed. His eyes were watering but he wouldn't cry.

"That doesn't matter. You did it didn't you? Isn't that the fact here?" she asked with spite.

"But I didn't want to!" he said, still trying to defend himself.

"You still murdered them." She paused. "Murderer," she whispered.

The flames roared even louder and swirled faster and faster around the room. They attacked Danny. He felt his arms burning.

"Murderer!" Valerie shouted.

"Murderer!" the others joined in. They started to chant it as they came closer and closer to him. "Murderer! Murderer! Murderer!"

"NO! Danny shouted covering is ears and crouching over. "I didn't mean to do it! I didn't want to do it! I was always protecting everyone but everyone was always so hard on me because they didn't understand! How could they? How could they understand that I was half ghost! Half dead! And I could never get a break! Not from Mister Lancer! Not from my parents! Not from my sister! Even my friends chewed me out for cheating on a test they knew I could have never studied for! No one ever understood! And now I really have no one!" At his words, the fire consumed the bodies of his friends and family leaving only him and Valerie in the burning building. "And you," he pointed at her, "you think I wanted this? How could you ever know what I'm feeling!"

Valerie looked at him harshly. "None of that makes a difference to the facts – murderer," she mumbled and then she, too, disappeared into the flames. Danny fell to the floor and hugged himself as he rocked back and forth trying to keep himself from breaking down. The fire hardened his skin and forged a protective wall around him. He lost all sensation to the pain burning in his mind and body and opened his eyes calmly to see them entering Wisconsin. It was morning already.

---

Danny hadn't said anything when he woke up, so Todd was surprised to see Danny's eyes open when they pulled up to the castle. "Have a good sleep?" he asked cheerfully. Danny didn't answer and Todd's smile faltered a little. "Well, we're here! Home sweet home!" he tried again. Danny continued to stare out the window. "I'll get your bags," Todd said as he opened the door and left the car. Danny slowly undid his seatbelt and got out too. He looked up at the castle. The first time he'd been here, his parents were having their college reunion.

Todd dumped several bags next to Danny and headed back to the car. Danny snapped from his thoughts at the thump of the bags. He looked down at them and then realized there was something in his hand. He lifted it up to eye level and was stared back at by six figures, one of which was him, the others of whom were dead.

"Ah, you've made it!" came Vlad's voice as he exited his castle. He walked toward Todd who had just finished removing all of Danny's belongings from the car. "I trust it was a smooth ride here?" he asked to either one of them. Todd nodded. They talked for a bit and Vlad paid him. Danny wasn't interested in what they had to say. He stared at the picture in his hand and then turned his attention back up to the castle: his new home.

Todd left and Vlad turned his attention to Danny. Daniel was now his son. He had waited several months for this. Though Vlad had never gotten Maddie, he now had at least a part of her with him. He would raise Danny to be a wonderful man, someone Maddie could be proud of, and of course, someone who would make him proud as well. Vlad walked over to Danny and put a hand on his shoulder. Danny looked up to see a smug expression on Vlad's face, but Danny didn't care. He no longer cared what would happen to him. He just wanted to be able to let go of the past. Danny looked back at the photograph in his hands again. How he wished he would forget it all, or better yet, that it had never happened, but he knew that neither was an option. Danny gripped the photograph tighter.

As Vlad looked down at the boy, all thought of his own selfish wants was lost and all he could think was how he could help Danny. He couldn't remember ever feeling as selfless as he did at this one particular moment and it was a feeling he wouldn't soon forget.

"Come on, let's go inside," Vlad ushered Danny to the front entrance. "I'll get the bags after I get you to your room."

For having such an enormous castle and an enormous sum of money, Vlad had little help with its care. He had several maids come in once a week to dust and vacuum and several other workers who would come and check on plumbing and the like, but apart from those visits, he lived there all alone, until Danny moved in of course. It wasn't that Vlad was anti-social or couldn't live with people; it was because of his ghost powers that he lived alone. With constant experiments and ghosts coming around every few days to check up with him, he would have a very hard time keeping his ghost identity a secret. Therefore, he opted to live alone in his luxury, until the day he could have Maddie and Danny move in with him. And now, he got his wish, at least a part of it.

Once Danny was ushered to his room and Vlad left, Danny lay down on his bed and didn't move for the rest of the day and night. When Vlad came to check on him some time later, he found his son sleeping in an uncomfortable sleep, twisting and turning, trying to escape from his nightmares that existed in both the waking world and the realm of dreams. Vlad watched him for a bit and placed his hand on Danny's forehead. At his touch, Danny seemed to calm a bit, but it only lasted for a couple moments before he seemed to be consumed once more by his nightmares. Eventually, Vlad left to eat supper, allowing Danny to come down when he felt like it. Vlad wouldn't see Danny again until the following evening when he'd wander listlessly into Vlad's dinning room.

Vlad looked up from his dinner and saw Danny. At first he was a little surprised but that quickly changed to compassion and delight. He was happy to see Danny up and about finally. "Come Danny, sit down and have something to eat," he said, waving his hand at the table spread in front of him. There was plenty of food to choose from. Danny noticed the second place set up for him. Vlad had hoped he'd come down to eat something.

Danny did as he was told and took a seat across from Vlad. At the sight and smell of the food, his stomach rumbled. "Please, dig in," Vlad said smiling. Danny dished out some food to himself like a robot obeying a voice command. Finally he stopped, picked up his fork, and brought some mashed potato to his mouth. The two of them ate in silence and once Vlad was done, he waited for Danny. Danny finished some time after and they continued to sit in silence. Vlad decided to break it.

"Danny, I know it's going to be hard to adjust to a different style of life, and I know it's hard to live with what happened, but if you ever need to talk – " Vlad looked at Danny hopefully. Danny didn't move or even open his mouth in consideration of talking. "I know I'll never be able to understand how you feel, but I did lose someone too. Maybe we can help with each other's pain?" Danny stayed silent but he did seem to react a bit, not in the way Vlad had hoped. Danny bowed his head, his brow furrowed. He seemed to be hurting the more he thought about it. But Vlad knew he needed to talk about it, if he didn't soon, he'd just end up burying the hurt deep within himself. Vlad knew all too well what this type of hurt could do to a person's soul. After all, he had done the same thing when he'd lost Maddie the first time. When he heard she was engaged to Jack, he'd lost it and his soul became darker than he ever imagined it could be. But of course, that's what made him so successful. He hardly regretted it now, but he still wished he could've had Maddie too. After all those years, she'd still been the affection of his heart, the love of his life. But he didn't know if he could stand watching Danny suffer as he suffered, even if it would turn him into the hard-edged half-ghost he wanted him to be.

"Danny, you'll feel better if you talk about it," Vlad tried again. Danny clenched his fist, nails digging into palm. "Just let it out," Vlad continued. Danny squeezed his eyes shut. "Come n– "

"Enough!" Danny shouted out, his voice ringing around the room. "I've had it! You don't understand anything! You can't possibly know how I feel!" As Danny shouted, he stood up and pointed angrily at Vlad.

Vlad stared, a little taken aback. He hadn't expected Danny to explode like that. He kept his voice calm and spoke to the boy, "As I said, I can't ever know _exactly_ how you feel, but I do understand at least a little of it. I know what it's like to lose people you really care about."

"You don't get it, how could you? How could you ever get it? You don't even know what actually happened!" Danny continued hysterically, throwing his arms out to the side.

Vlad watched him with wide eyes. "Then why don't you tell me what happened?" he suggested kindly.

Now Danny looked at him fearfully. What happened… the Box Ghost… his anger… the explosion… But something overtook Danny and he found himself screaming at Vlad again what he knew, what he did. "I killed them!" he shouted. "I killed each and every one of them! I was so angry and when the Box Ghost showed up, I just couldn't control myself! I attacked and attacked and attacked until finally the Box Ghost was able to dodge and I hit the stupid vat of Nasty Sauce. Don't you see? I killed them with my own hands!" He paused for a moment. "I murdered them," he said quietly. "They were defenceless and I murdered them and then I used my powers to keep myself alive but I left all of them for dead." He was mumbling to himself now, chastising himself mentally for what he'd done.

Vlad was in complete shock. He had assumed that it was just some freak accident. Sure, he had thought Danny had survived thanks to his ghost powers, but he never expected something like this. It was Danny who initiated the explosion. Maddie was dead and it was her own son's fault. Vlad stared at Danny incredulously. Danny wouldn't look up at him. Finally, Vlad got up from the table, turned, and left the room without saying a thing. Danny stood in the centre of the room without moving. His arms hung at his sides now and his shoulders drooped down. He looked like he just wanted to melt away, his entire physique seemingly closer to the ground than usual. But his face didn't match the rest of is body. His eyes showed no emotion and his mouth was neither in frown nor in smile. His facial features were just relaxed without anxiety, fear, pain, everything he felt inside himself, everything he was trying so desperately to bury but found himself incapable of doing just that.

Later that night, Danny lay on the covers of his bed listening to the rain pounding. But he could hear something else, a strangled cry of an old man mourning the loss of his love once more…

---

When Danny went downstairs the following morning, he found his food lay out on the table already, but Vlad was nowhere to be found. Danny guessed that Vlad decided to stay hidden away in his room or some other private place in the large castle. He was still upset with what Danny told him apparently. Danny went several days without seeing a sign of Vlad. The only thing that told him Vlad was still around was the food that would show up for him. When a week was almost up, Danny started to wonder if Vlad could ever face him again. Of course, he didn't blame Vlad, if he was able to separate from himself, he'd hide from him as well. He was just as disgusted as Vlad was in himself. An evening six days after their last meal together, Vlad came to the library where Danny sat by the fireplace, reading a book on ghosts. He never liked reading before, but it was the only thing he could preoccupy himself with and sometimes it let him feel like Jazz was there reading to him like she had done when they were younger. Of course, this caused his heart to tear when he stopped or when his mind registered once more that he would never hear Jazz's voice again. Still, Danny thought it was worth it for the few minutes he'd get out of it where he'd feel almost normal again.

When Vlad walked into the room, Danny looked up from the book's pages and stared at Vlad who had his eyes downcast. He looked to be in terrible shape. He was growing a moustache to match his beard and his suit was wrinkled terribly. The dark rings around his eyes were even blacker if it were possible. Finally, Vlad looked up and his blue eyes bore into the icy blue eyes staring at him from across the room.

"Danny," he spoke in a raspy voice that hadn't been used in days, "your mother wouldn't want you to blame yourself for this. She wouldn't want you to be miserable." He had obviously planned what he was going to say. "It was an accident, nothing more, and you'll always be welcome here." It was Danny's turn to look away.

"But, I'll always know it was my blast that killed them," Danny said glumly.

"The explosion killed them. Your blast was only the catalyst. You never meant for any of this to happen."

"But, I'm also the reason they were even there. If I hadn't cheated – " Danny cut himself off.

This was the first time Vlad had heard anything about cheating. He decided to play it by ear. "You may have been caught cheating but I'm sure you didn't ask to go to that particular place at that particular time, and you certainly didn't ask to be confronted by the annoying Box Ghost. It was all just a series of events that turned out the worst possible way. Listen to me Daniel, you _have_ to get over this. What would your family and friends think if you wasted away the rest of your life? They'd want you to move on and be happy. They wouldn't want you to be in this much pain."

"I – I don't know how to move on. I don't know if I can," Danny confessed. Vlad looked at him with sympathy. Danny seemed so lost and confused. He was torn up on the inside and he didn't know if he could ever heal. "I just want it to stop! I want the pain to stop!" Danny screamed out. His temper seemed to be back, but it wasn't in anger he was yelling, it was in agony. "Why won't it stop? Why can't the pain stop?" Danny fell to the floor. He was sobbing now and tears were falling and staining the carpet.

Vlad walked up to the boy, but couldn't think of anything to say.

"It hurts so much. I hate these emotions! If being alive means living like this, then I would rather be dead!" Danny shrieked out. Vlad looked at him, his face paling.

"You don't mean that," he gasped.

"I mean every word of it. What's the point of hurting all the time?" Danny looked up at Vlad, more tears streaming down his face.

Vlad bit his lip. There was something… He looked at Danny and Danny looked back. They were each staring the other down, Danny for an answer, Vlad for a sign that he should do what he was considering. It would be horrible, grotesque even, but maybe it was what Danny needed. Maybe it was best for him… "There is something…" he started. Danny looked at him, completely lost at what to do and hopeful that Vlad could help him. "I know a way that could separate you from your human emotions." Danny seemed interested now. "But I have to warn you, it could be very dangerous. You may be different forever afterwards," Vlad tried to discourage Danny from agreeing to it. Really, he didn't want Danny to choose this option.

"I've already changed from what I was. I'll never be who I was before the explosion! I'll do anything to get rid of this hurt! What is it? What do you have?"

All of a sudden, Vlad felt a large amount of worry. Danny seemed excited at the sounds of this and that was not the reaction Vlad had wanted or even expected. "But, if you do this, you won't just change, it will actually be like you're dead, and I mean fully dead."

"You don't get it do you? I'm already dead! I'm not doing anything with my life anymore! I just want it all to stop! If this will do that for me, then I'll take it. No matter what happens to me, it has to be better than this!"

Vlad sighed, "Very well. I'll do this for you, only because I don't want to see you suffering anymore." Vlad turned his back to Danny. What was he doing? It was what Danny wanted but that didn't make it right. Yet, if he could release Danny from his torment, maybe then Danny would be able to concentrate on training as his apprentice. That was what he wanted, right? But, how far was he willing to go to get it? Was he really willing to kill Danny for it? Yet, that brought him back to the first point; it was what Danny wanted but, did that make it right?

---

Vlad hooked Danny up to the equipment as he explained everything Danny needed to know. "The Ghost Gauntlets will separate your consciousness in your ghost form from your human form. If everything goes well, the only thing left in your human self should be your human emotions. I'm not even sure if your human self will be conscious in any way. But you should be completely fine, at least in theory. You'll be a full ghost and you'll no longer feel the sadness you do now, that's my speculation anyway. If things go astray, I should be able to put you back together within the first few minutes. Any other questions?"

"No, I think I got it," Danny responded. At his answer, Vlad fixed the oxygen mask to Danny's face. The mask gave him a mix of a light sleeping gas with oxygen and Danny didn't even notice as he lost consciousness. Meanwhile, Vlad took off his suit's jacket and prepared himself for the surgery. He wasn't going to be using knives, but claws to dig into Danny's very being and tear the ghost away from him. Vlad took a moment to steady himself. Was he really going to do this? What would Danny Fenton's body be after the ghost was taken out? Would it just appear dead? Or would it still be able to form thoughts of its own? Would he still suffer terribly with the pain of losing everything if that Danny was conscious? The thought made Vlad tremble. He certainly hoped not.

When Vlad was able to pull himself together, he fixed the Ghost Gauntlets to his hands and walked to the boy, activating the long, thin claws of his invention, based on Jack's own invention of course. That was something they always had between them… Jack came up with the concepts while he would perfect the projects. Vlad shook the memory from his head. He didn't need Jack! He didn't need anyone! He just stole Jack's inventions to get back at him… yeah, that was it.

Vlad returned his mind to the task at hand. With a pang of guilt, he lunged his hands forward into Danny's chest, the barriers and the flesh seemingly intangible to the metal claws of the Gauntlets. Vlad struggled as his fingers searched for the ghost. When he felt the cool, liquid mass of Danny Phantom, he pulled as hard as he could. As the connection between the boy and the ghost was severed, Vlad stumbled backwards, Phantom in hand. Vlad looked at the boy with wide eyes. Mist seemed to evaporate off of him. A moment later, Danny Phantom's eyes snapped open but before Vlad could register it, he was on the floor, thrown against the wall, the Ghost Gauntlets somehow fallen between where he lay and Danny floated. It was at that instant, which dawned on Vlad with a heavy deadweight, that he noticed Danny's malicious grin, his hollow eyes peering straight into Vlad's. Danny made a break for the gauntlets and held them up, activating them just as Vlad had done. "I won't let you put me back together again. Besides, your power is very enticing. It can help me show them all what the ghost they feared can really do. I'll make them pay for hurting me. And I'll do what I want, now that I'm not bound by any of those pathetic human emotions." Danny went for Vlad and Vlad, too stunned to react, was pulled forward. Then, with the feeling of being pulled apart, too intense to cry out in pain or make any noise at all, Vlad was thrown to the right. He looked up from where he lay and saw Danny Phantom across the lab overshadow then consume his conscious-less ghost form. The Phantom screamed out as his appearance changed. He became a horror from what he was before. He gained the look of exactly the thing he'd become: a malevolent ghost.

Vlad shook in fear. He was now powerless to do anything against this ghost, the _thing_ that used to be his dear Maddie's son. But there was something. If he could get to the human body, maybe he could reattach them. The Phantom had carelessly thrown the Ghost Gauntlets aside. With any luck, Vlad could change this wrong doing. He didn't know how different Danny would be if he managed to succeed, after all, Danny now had

Vlad's own ghost self as a part of him, but maybe if he returned to him his humanity, he would at least have some sense of his old self.

Vlad crawled over to the body of Danny Fenton and started to detach him from the lab table he was secured to. Luckily, Danny Phantom was still distracted by his changing. When the bar across Human Danny's chest was removed, Vlad dragged him away to a corner of his lab, behind a counter in order to hide from the ghost. 'Now, just to get the Gauntlets,' thought Vlad. He peered around the corner, looking for them. Setting the boy in his lap gently down on the floor, Vlad smiled at him, noticing his inquisitive eyes looking up at Vlad, and then started to turn. With a sudden drop of his stomach, Vlad looked back at the boy who in return continued to look at Vlad. He was awake? Did he even comprehend where he was though? Or was it just a reflex or something?

"Danny?" Vlad asked, unsure. Danny blinked, then nodded. A second later, his eyes filled with tears.

"I thought you said it would take away the pain," he sobbed, burying his face into Vlad's chest. Vlad didn't know what to say. So he was fully conscious? But, he thought he'd put all consciousness into the other. That's what happened with Vlad's ghost self, at least, that's what he thought had happened. Could it be possible that both beings were just as conscious as the other?

"Danny," Vlad said shakily, "we need to put you back together." Vlad pointed over his shoulder, indicating something behind the counter. Danny looked around the corner and saw the new Phantom who seemed to be adjusting to his new body, and it was _very_ new. He barely looked anything like his old Phantom self. If it weren't for the emblem, Danny wouldn't have recognized his ghost self.

"But, what happened? Why didn't it work?"

"I'm afraid, Danny, it worked too well. Your ghost self has absorbed the power of my own ghost self." This comment confused Danny but Vlad didn't bother to elaborate on his meaning. "We need to get the Ghost Gaun- "

A shadow covered the floor where Vlad and Danny were hiding. Both looked up to see the malicious grin of the new Danny Phantom.

"So, you _are_ awake," the ghost said. It had Danny's voice, but sounded very different from what he used to. His voice was cold, uncaring, but had a touch of playfulness to it. "Well, I can't have you here, the big oaf here'll try to put us back together again and we can't have that, now can we?" It was far from a question.

Vlad knew he had to do something. All of this was his fault. He should have never suggested something as stupid as splitting Danny in two. Looking back on it, he wondered how he could've ever thought it would work. "Danny, run, now!" He shoved the boy behind him, standing up in order to block Danny Phantom from his new prey. Vlad would fix this, he would make everything right again.

After a moment, Vlad realized the boy was still sitting on the ground behind him. Danny Phantom laughed at the boy cowering on the floor. "Danny, _get out of here_!" Vlad spat but the boy didn't move. He was paralyzed with fear and was still crying.

"Just leave me here," he said in a voice so close to a whisper. "I don't deserve to live after what I did to everyone I loved." Danny curled into a ball, hiding his face in his arms.

"That's right, just stay still so I can end your misery," Danny Phantom grinned. This would be so easy.

"No! I won't let you," Vlad snapped at the phantom.

Phantom only looked partially annoyed. "Get out of my way, Cheese Head," he said dully. In a flash, Vlad felt a pain in his side and he was thrown to the left, banging painfully into the counter he and Danny had been hiding behind. Vlad opened his eyes and saw Danny looking at him fearfully.

"Run," Vlad mouthed. Danny considered it for a moment, then in a rush, got to his feet and ran in the opposite direction. Phantom hardly looked impressed. He disappeared, only to reappear in front of the human Danny.

"Give it up, you can't run from me. Besides, what happened to giving yourself up willingly?"

"I – I – I couldn't do that t – to Vlad," Danny answered, shaking. "I'm all he has left." Danny's voice couldn't have been smaller. It was obvious he lost all self confidence.

"I'm sure that's the reason. It couldn't possibly be because you're afraid to die," Phantom said sarcastically. Danny tried to stare him down but it failed miserably. He was so unsure of himself now that he had lost his ghost half and the ghost, the _true_ ghost, was staring at him. Was this really what his true ghost form was? Of course, if only Danny had known that Plasmius was a part of his ghost half now, he would've understood the truth…

"It won't hurt – for long," Phantom added with another grin of his. Danny didn't have time to react before an ectoblast hit him square in the chest. Danny flew backwards and hit the wall. He opened his eyes in time to see another ectoblast coming at him. This time, he used his reflexes to jump out of the way. Unfortunately, his right leg was still hit by the attack. Despite the pain, Danny ran and ran, dodging blasts here and there, being hit by a few as well. After several minutes, he was panting heavily. The ghost, meanwhile, was laughing at his attempt to live. "Just give it up now. Wouldn't it be much easier to die quietly?" Danny didn't answer. He had his hand to his side, trying to rub away the pain there.

While the two Danny's fought, Vlad watched from the counter which he was still next to. He couldn't move. It wasn't because he was in too much pain; it was because he couldn't take his eyes off of the two in front of him. All this, he did this. He had to set things straight but how could he? Vlad had forgotten all about the Ghost Gauntlets. It was like his mind had shut down. He couldn't think of any way to set this right. Instead, he just lay there, watching Phantom attack Danny and harm him more and more. Danny wouldn't be able to dodge for much longer. He was weakening, and fast. His clothes were torn and his face was dirty and scratched from scraping along the ground when a blast hit him.

Jumping out of the way of another shot, the blast hit Danny's left ankle this time. When he landed, his foot stung unbearably. Danny crawled to the wall and curled up into a ball once more. He couldn't run anymore, he knew it was just a matter of time before Phantom got him anyway. He was shaking. This was it, he would die. That shadow came over him, blocking out the light. He would die in darkness.

Phantom looked at the shell of his old, human self on the floor almost innocently. So, he had finally given up. A moment later, his eyes glowed a fierce red and he growled at the boy, his tongue snaking through the air viciously. Danny just sat there as the next attack hit him head on. It was true, it didn't hurt, not as much as the pain he had in knowing he had caused the deaths of his loved ones. Several tears flew away as softly as his life did as the light overcame him. What did he know? He did die in the light after all…

Vlad saw him give up. He saw the ghost turn into a devilish creature, more terrifying than anything he had seen in all his years of being a ghost. He saw the smile form on Danny's face as his body was pressed into the wall and the wall crumbled away. It took a moment for it to register in his mind. His son was dead. "NOOOOOOOO!" Vlad yelled out. But it was too late; nothing could save the boy now.

Danny Phantom turned his attention towards Vlad now. He floated over to him, his eyes returned to normal. "What to do with you?" he asked playfully. Vlad didn't answer. He was still recovering from the shock of Danny's death. "I know… I'm not going to kill you. Instead, you can live knowing that you're the one responsible for creating me. Everything I do is because you let me out, not that I'm not thankful. But I think a little change in your amount of power is in order." With that, Phantom glowed a bright green. Once more, Vlad didn't have time to react as the light spread throughout the room and the walls disintegrated around him. In a deafening boom, his castle was levelled, along with all of his technology and anything he had that he could use to stop Phantom with. As the rubble was still falling to the ground, Vlad heard the evil laugh of Phantom once more as he flew away. Vlad sat unmoving as his whole life vanished in the explosion.

---

Several hours later, there was mayhem in the city Danny Fenton and Danny Phantom once called home. Buildings were burning and people were screaming as they ran down the streets or drove away in their cars, trying to escape.

"You'll pay for this,_ ghost boy_!" Valerie screamed as she came to a stop on her glider. The ghost turned and she almost lost her balance. "Wha – Who are you?" she asked. This wasn't the ghost boy. But, then why did he have the same symbol on his front?

"Why Valerie, I'm hurt you don't recognize me, it's still the same me after all, just a slightly different look. Don't ya like it?"

"So it _is_ you! I always knew you were rotten. Some of these people trusted you! But you never fooled me!" She loaded her weapon and aimed it at him. "Enough talk, I'll get you for everything you did to Danny!"

"And for once, I'm guilty of what you're mad at me for, but I'm afraid you're mistaken if you think you can beat me. I'm much stronger than the last time you saw me. And I've gotten rid of a few _drawbacks_ as well." Valerie didn't wait to hear what these drawbacks were though. She fired and he dodged. Neither imagined that they would still be fighting the same fight ten years from then, or how drastically the entire world would change in those ten years. And it would never occur to Valerie that the one who would set it all right would be the same one whom she would fight for ten years, just in a form much different than the one in front of her now. This day marked the end of the world as the humans and ghosts knew it. The new threat would be known to all by the end of the week...

---

Vlad shifted some brick and pulled the body from underneath. He took it lightly in his arms and gently rocked it back and forth like a parent rocking their baby to sleep. With a sudden ferocity, Vlad hugged the boy, bringing his cheek to the top of the boy's head and pulling the limp body as close to him as he could. Vlad couldn't stop the tears as they fell gently into the boy's hair and were lost within its black, messy tangles. How could he have done this? Danny didn't deserve to die, and especially not in that way. He had suffered so much. If only Vlad could know if he was in a better place, if he was happy now. The only comfort he had was the smile Danny had had when he'd died. This only caused Vlad's tears to come faster than before.

Unbeknownst to Vlad, he, too, would have the opportunity to see the hero who would change his fate, and Vlad would help him do it as well.

---

**The End**

---

Well, in the immortal words of Warner Bros: That's all folks! I hope you all enjoyed it and please don't forget to review! It would be _extremely_ appreciated. For those who have read my other TUE story **Tears**, you'll notice I worked in something I mentioned in it. For those who haven't, please go read and review it when you have some free time! It seems to be a really popular story (at least for my writing) and it's really short so it won't take a lot of time to read.

Anyway, for those of you who like my writing, I am writing several other stories, one of which has a release date as of now of March 2006 (hopefully I'll have finished writing it by then so as not to have long waits between chapters). That one is called **Schism of the Soul**. I'll give a quick summary now for anyone who's interested:

_Danny's DNA has been unstable since the accident. Now, on his 16th birthday, he is doomed to loose himself forever to eternal torment. Or can a note from the future save him? The clock is ticking out and Sam, Tucker and Jazz only have one shot at preventing it from happening._

It was one I started before TUE came out and although there are similarities to TUE, it is quite different, I assure you. Anyway, for any other stories, I have a complete list of them on my bio page so if you're interested, be sure to check it out! ;) Anyway, until next time! Don't forget to review!

.:Fey Phantom:.


End file.
